Attracting and Selecting the Right Talent BEFORE the Interview

We previously covered several pointers on how to attract and select the right talent during an interview. However, putting the effort into creating an appealing job and choosing the right candidate for the interview is also important as these are the initial steps in hiring the perfect candidate. Here are some tips on attracting and selecting the right talent before the interview process.

Tip 1: Create an Employer Brand

The recruiting landscape is now a candidate-driven and highly competitive environment. As a result, the strategies recruiters use for candidate sourcing are now similar to the tactics marketers use to attract customers.

Here are few steps on how to build your employer brand.

1. Identify your candidate persona

The candidate persona assists your hiring process to identify which individuals are the best fit for your company. Form the persona by defining the personalities, skills and behaviors of the ideal candidate.

For the candidate persona, consider the following:

life goals and career inspirations
skill-sets and expertise
what motivates and inspires them
why do they want to change jobs?

2. Define Your Employer Value Proposition

The most important thing that candidates look for is the Employer Value Proposition (EVP). Consider this the essence of the hiring process. It is about the benefits, advantages and satisfaction that employees derive from being with your company. The EVP is what makes your company special, and why your current employees love working there.

3. Engage through Career Sites and Social Media

Many job seekers learn about your company through career sites and social media. It is critical to identify where and how you promote your EVP to potential candidates.

If you do not have the bandwidth to promote your employer brand, look to an external recruitment firm. Not only can professional recruiters help you source the best talent, but they can also help you pitch your company to candidates.

Tip 2: Open jobs that are actually needed

When posting job positions, remember to think about what the company needs. You have to identify what the organization needs in order to operate and earn a profit. Understand what the company lacks and needs, as opposed to wants. Make sure the job description clearly specifies the qualifications and skills you are looking for. This, in return, helps you save valuable recruitment time because by limiting the number of applications that come through the door, and also improves the quality of the applications that are received.

Tip 3: Ensure the job title is understandable

The job title on your ad is the first thing that people see when applying for a position. Use simple and understandable job titles. You may think creative and unconventional wording may draw the viewer’s attention, but it is best to avoid being clever with titles because most people do not have the time to click on an odd-titled posting and try to understand the job based on the description.

Tip 4: Build your talent pipeline

You cannot expect all your employees to work forever in your company. They come and go. Therefore, to reduce time and resources, you have to think long-term and build a suitable talent pipeline.

A talent pipeline is a pool of candidates who are ready to fill a position. These can be existing employees who are prospecting for advancement, or external candidates that are partially or fully prequalified to take an opening.

Roles that have high turnover (for instance, sales roles) open frequently. A talent pipeline is ideally suited for these roles. Talent pipelines are a critical strategy for companies to ensure a regular flow of candidates. A talent pipeline also diminishes the amount of time used in finding potential hires as the groundwork has already been laid.

Tip 5: Validating candidates’ backgrounds

Let’s face it, people do bluff about their ability to outshine themselves. Over-exaggerated skills and false career histories may appear in resumes or during interviews. Thorough background checks is always a good way for employers to verify information such as education, prior job history, and performance. You can always look for recruitment agencies that provide such vetting services as a part of the hiring effort.

From pitching companies and job positions, to screening candidates and validating their backgrounds, Techlinker Asia gets the job done, efficiently and professionally. We’re the experts in attracting and selecting the right talent for your interview. Talk to us and we’d be pleased to help!